Well, last night saw LeBron James take the stage of "Saturday Night Live." I'd give him a C plus, but part of that has to do with it being a C minus show overall. Decent digital short, nods to Akron and to St. V, couple of laughs but there wasn't a "Box" song or, to look at sports figures and "SNL," a Peyton Manning/United Way bit. LeBron didn't do himself any harm, but he didn't advance his offcourt performing cause, either.

Perhaps because of concerns already expressed by criticsh who have seen the season premiere, NBC sent out the second and third episodes of the new season. And it's tearing me apart. ... (Possible slight spoilers ahead.)

One of those days. I have an "Ugly Betty" post half-written, and managed to finish it tonight, though with minimal elaboration, and wanted to say some things about tonight's "My Name Is Earl" (which is good). I expect to do some posting after "Grey's" and "The Office" and possibly "CSI." Probably not until Friday AM. But I also wanted to remind one and all that there's a new "Mad Men" tonight, and it's a biggie. So watch that, too.

And I had two new episodes of "Friday Night Lights" burning a hole in my briefcase, which I ended up spending the early part of the evening on. Believe me, there's a post coming about that.

Noticeable change from the for-review version to the actually televised "Private Practice."

The review version had an opening with a nod to Mary Tyler Moore; Addison decided to make the change in part because, as the Chief suggested, "you want to throw your hat all the way up in the air." More serious now. Addison and the Chief in scrubs instead of civvies, no hat in the air line, and the Chief now warns that she will be back in a month, and promises to hold Addison's job "as long as I can." (Someone worrying that "Private Practice" isn't a slam dunk?)

The escapist-blockbluster period of summer is over, so we're easing into the serious-Oscar-consideration movies. Which also means movies that are somber and sometimes depressing.

Case in point: Last night I saw "Into the Wild" (alienation and starvation). Today I saw "Gone Baby Gone" (child molestation, abduction, drugs, alienation) and "Things We Lost in the Fire" (death, drugs, grieving).

Last night I was in Cleveland for a screening of "Into the Wild," then had an amusing drive home through lightning and rain. I've got two more screenings in Cleveland today, so I'm going to fast-forward through "Dancing" to focus on the performances. ...

I've mentioned my enthusiasm for The CW's "The Reaper" before. Akron's Ray Wise makes a jolly but utterly convincing devil, and the show understands that it can be silly and a little scary at the same time, without undercutting either quality.

This is going to sound strange but I watched tonight's season premiere of "Bones" awhile back, and I was quite adequately entertained, and I was glad to see the characters again -- but I'm not sure I remember much of what actually happened. One thing for sure, involving a regular character, but not a lot more.

I've been worried about spoilers for tonight's season premiere of "House." But the network's promos spoil one good joke, as well as giving away the closing scene of the episode, so there's not a lot left to spoil. And I suspect that tonight's promo for next week's episode will have a spoiler or two. So I'll just press on, albeit after the jump ...

In my Friday Notepad post, I noted a National Enquirer report that Maureen McCormick's upcoming memoir included a juicy story about her and co-star Eve Plumb. I also reminded one and all that the original source was the Enquirer. So it should not surprise that the story is now being firmly denied -- as ABC News reports here.

Via TV Tattle, the show-biz trades report that AMC is on the verge of picking up "Mad Men" for a second season. (Link to Variety's story here.)

Also, AMC notes that ''this week's airing of MAD MEN ... is an encore presentation of Episode 5, '5G.' Beginning with the premiere of Episode 10 'The Lost Weekend' on September 27th, things continue to heat up, including quite a few pivotal moments and exciting revelations in the next few episodes as we build to the finale on Thursday, October 18th."

If CBS had sent out the first episode of "Kid Nation" for review, it would have muted some of the debate about the show. Obviously, CBS did not want to mute the debate ... (some spoilers after the jump)

I'm not the only one concerned. My colleague Maureen Ryan is also worried and has posted some of her thoughts in her blog. She also has a link to Yahoo! TV, where you can see the episode -- and so understand my problems with the premiere. My friend and colleague Alan Sepinwall has also weighed in a bit on his blog.

For those of you who have not yet found it online, my fall-season rumination is here. (The first line in text is actually a subhead, with the story beginning on the following line.)

But, even as we all get psyched about the TV season to varying degrees, there are still those who view TV as an entertainment stepchild to the movies. I am thinking specifically of Gregory Kirschling of Entertainment Weekly, who wrote a recent article about writer-director Paul Haggis ("The Great Divider," Sept. 21 issue).

I was in bed pretty early Sunday night, passing on both the Emmys and -- more surprising for me -- the later innings of Red Sox/Yankees. Problem with the Emmys is that usually, by the time I've gone over the nominees, I am more than sick enough of the process to shrug off the actual winners. Even a look at the winners' list this morning has the usual mix of righteous choices and head-turners, although I would have been interested in all the censoring of the show. (I can catch up. This is why there are DVRs.) Problem with the Red Sox/Yankees was just that after a weekend that included a Friday performance by Chrissie Hynde, Saturday chores, an attempt at attending a Saturday concert, a Sunday morning drive to Cleveland for an Indians game and a few more obligations, I was just wrung out. Details after the jump ...

I'm planning a longer post this weekend about Chrissie Hynde's great journey into Akron. I was lucky enough to be at her 11-song-plus-banter acoustic performance Friday night for a small crowd, and it was definitely one of those "this is a cool job" moment.

But that show, as well as tonight's big concert at the Akron Civic, has me asking this question: Why do people go to concerts and then talk through the performances? It happened Friday night, and again Saturday. Granted that Saturday's show had more of a festival atmosphere, with lots of socializing in the lobbies. Still, why would you sit -- like the people behind us -- and gab through act after act?

You've probably seen the latest news about O.J. -- that he's a suspect in a burglary case in Las Vegas. He says he's innocent. Been there, heard that. When does he launch the search for the real burglars?

So says Warner Bros., in an announcement proclaiming that the "Harry Potter" movies in total have now grossed more worldwide than any other film franchise, including "Star Wars" and James Bond. (Potter still trails top-ranked "Star Wars" and Bond at the North American box office, according to Box Office Mojo.

Today's official announcement is after the jump. But I'm wondering about Barbara Walters' statement that she is looking forward to "a wonderful" year with Shepherd and Whoopi Goldberg. Is "The View" now accepting that it will change hosts the way "Law & Order" changes casts?

The Fall 2007 issue of Teen magazine hit newsstands on Sept. 4 but just landed on my desk today. The cover story is about Vanessa Hudgens ("her first-ever solo magazine cover," says a press release) with the cover line, "A girl's gotta have her secrets."

I checked out Brit's much-hyped performance at the VMAs tonight. The Britney silhouettes on the background screen certainly conveyed some rude imagery. But the only way she could have looked less interested would have been to chew gum throughout. Obviously unprepared, empty-eyed. She committed the worst sin for her: She was dull.

I said in the previous post that I planned to add more notes about our foray into Buckeye Central. I have now added those notes to the "Booing Big Ten Network" post. But here's why they were long delayed.

At about 6:15 Saturday, the bride and I were finishing up dinner in a Bob Evans on Olentangy River Road in Columbus -- when the power went out. The waitress was apologetic, but we were done, paid cash for our bill and walked down to the University Plaza Hotel, where we were staying.

The best non-football thing at the Ohio State-Akron game today was the enormous, hearty booing that greeted a promotional announcement for Big Ten Network. BTN, as you know, has been playing tough with cable companies, so fans who did not have a satellite dish did not get to see the OSU-UA game. It was nice to see that the savvy Buckeye fans recognized BTN's villainy, which in addition to boos prompted cries of "Greedy!"

I will note, too, that the boos came in a stadium where fans were for the most part courteous about UA. (The game announcer asks for courtesy, and a card handed out on behalf of Bob Evans says "we cheer for a good play and respect the visiting team" and "we use pleasant language and never boo.") Which doesn't make its many getting-loud traditions any easier to bear, of course.

If there were going to be nude pictures of a "High School Musical" star, I would have expected to see the more aggressively career-minded Ashley Tisdale before Vanessa Hudgens. Or even Zac Efron, who seems quite ready to be a grownup. But no, we got a Hudgens photo first. And, while I thought it looked suspiciously photoshopped, Hudgens has now admitted that the photo is of her.

ABC News Chief Investigative Correspondent Brian Ross explores the tactics used by Murphy, Texas police, the citizen watchdog group Perverted Justice and ''Dateline'' NBC during a sting designed to apprehend alleged sexual predators in Murphy, Texas for the popular series ''To Catch a Predator.''

When I started the "My Favorite Singers" posts, I didn't expect so many months to go by between them. Oh, well. Lately I've been listening to a lot of Isaac Hayes in his early '70s heyday, and he's certainly worth a mention here, a mention that need not include either "Shaft" or his "South Park" tenure.

The all-star video-for-a-cause is a pretty tired joke at this point. But at least this ditty for "My Name Is Earl" -- which should be watchable just after 3 a.m. Eastern -- offers a reminder of some of the funny characters who have passed through the show. (Note some of the video language is PG-ish.)

Setting the stage for continued success in the original sitcoms arena, TBS has ordered a second season of 10 episodes of its hit sitcom THE BILL ENGVALL SHOW, according to an announcement by Michael Wright, senior vice president in charge of the Content Creation Group for TBS, TNT and TCM. In addition, Engvall will host BLUE COLLAR COMEDY: THE NEXT GENERATION, a special to be shot at HBO and AEG Live's The Comedy Festival (TCF) at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas for premiere on TBS Saturday, Nov. 17.

New-season episodes of "Ugly Betty" and "Brothers & Sisters" arrived today, along with letters from the producers that indicate how the shows think they stand with the press.

The "Ugly Betty" letter, signed by Silvio Horta and Marco Pennette, began, ''On behalf of the producers and writers of UGLY BETTY, we'd like to thank you for your continued support of our show. Your critical endorsement is a big part of why we're able to come back for a second season."

The fifth season of the Emmy® and Golden Globe® Award-winning drama seriesnip/tuck will premiere on FX Tuesday, October 30, 2007 at 10 PM ET/PT. The show will include several guest starsthroughout the 14-episode season, including Oliver Platt, Lauren Hutton, Bradley Cooper, Paula Marshall, Portia deRossi, Jennifer Coolidge, Craig Bierko, Daphne Zuniga, Tia Carrere and John Schneider. Rosie O'Donnell will alsoguest star, reprising her season four role of lottery winner "Dawn Budge." Additionally, Leslie Grossman reprises herseason one role as "Bliss Berger."nip/tuck revolves around the lives of Dr. Sean McNamara (Dylan Walsh) and Dr. Christian Troy (Julian McMahon),two plastic surgeons, close friends and business partners who run McNamara/Troy, an overwhelmingly successfulplastic surgery practice. The series' fifth season continues where season four left off: following the divorce from Julia(Joely Richardson), Sean sold his half of McNamara/Troy and left Miami for Los Angeles. Christian, after ending hisengagement to Michelle (Sanaa Lathan), soon followed -- thus re-locating McNamara/Troy to the West Coast. Thenew season of nip/tuck will explore Sean and Christian's struggles for success in a city where they are professionallyunknown -- and its residents yearn for fame.

You may have seen this gadget, a toilet paper holder that also includes an iPod dock. But here's the big question: What songs would you want to listen to while you're, uh, communing?

Would it really help to hear Green Day's "Waiting" ("I've been waiting for a lifetime .. I'm so much closer than I have ever known"), or is that just more pressure? Speaking of which, what about the Seeds' "Pushing Too Hard"? (Thanks to Bob Sherwin for the suggestion). Or, for sheer titular simplicity, the President of the United States of America's "Lump"?

Friday night we went to the Indians-White Sox game, saw the Indians fall behind, got chills when Kenny Lofton came in to pinch-hit (screams of "Kenny! Kenny!" filling the stadium), cheered when the Indians came from behind to win and generally had a swell time. Plus it ended our seemingly endless streak of going to games that the Indians lose, adding to our high-fiving. Even better: We got out of the parking lot.

Tonight it was back to Cleveland for the first "Patriot Bowl," in the Browns' stadium, with the University of Akron against Army. Not so easy driving, since the Indians were also playing at home tonight. As for football, both teams had their bad spots, but Army was especially sluggish and the Zips won.